An endangered Great Lakes shorebird that has survived earlier threats to its habitat now faces new challenges.
Report a banded plover and learn more at the Great Lakes Piping Plover website.
The post Endangered piping plovers face climate change challenges first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2024/02/21/endangered-piping-plovers-face-climate-change-challenges/
With holiday travel approaching, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is urging dog owners to be aware of a “mystery illness” that is sweeping the nation.
The illness affects dogs’ respiratory systems, causing an unusual increase in coughing, sneezing, loss of appetite, eye and nasal discharge, fever and lethargy.
The post Caution urged for holiday travel with dogs due to virus first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/12/18/caution-urged-for-holiday-travel-with-dogs-due-to-virus/
The turtles had a long journey ahead.
They fought for 45 miles against the strong Kalamazoo River current. They left the river and walked up and over a dam blocking their path.
The post Slow and steady wins the race, even one that takes 10 years to move 45 miles first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/12/15/slow-and-steady-wins-the-race-even-one-that-takes-10-years-to-move-45-miles/
Sturgeon can live 50 years or more in rivers and lakes, but the first six months of one sturgeon’s life will be spent in Katie Bryant’s seventh grade science classroom.
The kids love the program, and they’re “all about feeding the fish and taking care of the fish,” Bryant said.
The post Kids raise prehistoric fish as a science lesson first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/12/12/kids-raise-prehistoric-fish-as-a-science-lesson/
A recent study discovered a fast evolution of coronavirus in free-ranging white-tailed deer throughout Ohio. It implied possible animal-to-human transmission.
The study, published this year in August, found that the virus SARS-CoV-2 was introduced from humans to white-tailed deer more than 30 times in Ohio from November 2021 to March 2022.
The post Ohio white-tailed deer get coronavirus – from people first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/12/06/ohio-white-tailed-deer-get-coronavirus-from-people/
A deer with chronic wasting disease has been found in Ogemaw County — a county that had never seen the disease before.
And that worries the Department of Natural Resources.
The post Chronic wasting disease found in new county first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/11/21/chronic-wasting-disease-found-in-new-county/
The state’s Natural Resources Commission wants to know more before deciding whether to allow the hunting of wolves – if Michigan’s largest predator is taken off the federal endangered species list.
They are one of the most controversial animals in the state, according to Brian Roell, a Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist.
The post ‘Little Red Riding Hood syndrome:’ Wolf controversy in the UP first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/11/20/little-red-riding-hood-syndrome-wolf-controversy-in-the-up/
An invasive insect increasingly threatens one of the Great Lakes region’s most important trees for storing the carbon that causes global warming.
Researchers have found that eastern hemlock trees felled by the invasive woolly adelgid could emit 4.5 tons of carbon across almost two and a half football fields.
The post Invasive insect threatens carbon storage in Great Lakes forests first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/11/15/invasive-insect-threatens-carbon-storage-in-great-lakes-forests/
When you reminisce about the Thanksgiving season, it’s easy to envision a belly stuffed with turkey, then leaning all the way back in your favorite recliner for a nap.
The hard work of small-town turkey farmers around Michigan is likely to go unnoticed when many consumers head to the supermarket for their frozen bird
The post Local farms compete with imported turkeys during Thanksgiving first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/11/14/local-farms-compete-with-imported-turkeys-during-thanksgiving/
You’re wrong if you think the lowly earthworm has little to do with the health of Michigan’s hardwood forests.
To the contrary, “exotic” – non-native – earthworms can have “widespread and complex effects” on individual trees and overall forest health
The post Invasive earthworms threaten hardwood forests in the Great Lakes region first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/25/invasive-earthworms-threaten-hardwood-forests-in-the-great-lakes-region/
Check your car, kayak or a nearby rail car – it might be providing free transportation for an invasive pest or plant. And you can be part of a renewed effort to stop the invaders.
The post You can help fight invasive species, on land and water first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/24/you-can-help-fight-invasive-species-on-land-and-water/
Michigan ranks No. 1 in the country for producing the most milk per cow — and has been for the past few years.
Although not the nation’s biggest overall milk producer, the state’s specialty in dairy has led farmers to find the most efficient way to get more milk from their herds.
The post Happy cows are healthy cows: Why Michigan’s cows produce the most milk first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/17/happy-cows-are-healthy-cows-why-michigans-cows-produce-the-most-milk/
As if climate change-related rising lake levels, extreme weather and threats to biodiversity weren’t enough to worry about, now we can also worry about the public health threat of invading mosquitoes.
North America has about 250 species of mosquitoes, of which about 70 are found in Michigan.
The post Disease-carrying mosquitoes moving north first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/13/disease-carrying-mosquitoes-moving-north/
Feral cats have colonies across the state, and their inbreeding, overpopulation and constant pregnancies have caused these strays to multiply.
Some feral cats are born with defects due to inbreeding. Misshapen heads, extra toes or crossed eyes could be results of incest among them.
The post Curbing feral cat populations in Michigan first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/10/curbing-feral-cat-populations-in-michigan/
On Parman Road in Dansville, Michigan, is a hidden oasis of beauty called Along The Fence Daylilies. A flower farm run by Saundra Dunn and Mary Ann Cleary, this acre is home to around 12,000 plants.
The post State budgets and daylilies mix just fine first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/09/state-budgets-and-daylilies-mix-just-fine/
The Great Lakes region’s more than 300 bird species may provide valuable mental health benefits.
A recent study from Carleton University in Ontario shows there are fewer mental health-related hospitalizations in Michigan areas with high bird diversity.
The post Bird songs may ease the blues first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/06/bird-songs-may-ease-the-blues/
Michigan experts are encouraging residents to squash the invasive spotted lanternfly as the destructive insect rapidly spreads throughout the Great Lakes region.
In simpler terms: See it, squish it, report it.
The post Michigan officials urge public to “squish” invasive bug first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/05/michigan-officials-urge-public-to-squish-invasive-bug/
Points North is a biweekly podcast hosted by Daniel Wanschura and Morgan Springer about the land, water and inhabitants of the Upper Great Lakes.
This episode was shared here with permission from Interlochen Public Radio.
Alison Vilag pays attention for a living.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/points-north-birds-of-paradise/
Massasaugas strongly prefer small mammal prey, yet individuals occasionally consume other prey, including amphibians, reptiles and birds.
The post What do Michigan rattlers chow down? first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/07/03/what-do-michigan-rattlers-chow-down/
Points North is a biweekly podcast hosted by Daniel Wanschura and Morgan Springer about the land, water and inhabitants of the Upper Great Lakes.
This episode was shared here with permission from Interlochen Public Radio.
In 2007, helicopters were circling over a few rivers and streams in Minnesota near Lake Superior.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/06/points-north-leave-it-to-beavers/
By Lester Graham, Michigan Radio
The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/06/endangered-species-act-turns-50-congress-working-weaken-it/
By Ashley Zhou Bridge Michigan
The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/05/bill-aims-to-allow-backyard-wildlife-feeding-but-critics-fear-deer-disease/
By Lester Graham, Michigan Radio
The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/04/frogs-salamanders-fairy-shrimp-appearing-vernal-pool/
Habitat restoration can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, years of time and the collaborative effort of engineers, scientists and designers. It may be better to just start from scratch.
The post Creating habitat to help fish reproduce is costlier, but more effective than restoring it first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/04/04/creating-habitat-to-help-fish-reproduce-is-costlier-but-more-effective-than-restoring-it/
Ecology cautions against overgeneralizing the impact of cormorants on fish populations because what the birds feed on differs by available species, the age and size of the fish they eat, and where they feed in their respective territories.
The post Effectiveness of cormorant hunting questioned first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/01/30/effectiveness-of-cormorant-hunting-questioned/
The grassquit is a small bird that lives in grassy and weedy subtropical and tropical areas.
The post Feds mum about yellow-faced grassquit trafficker first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/01/19/feds-mum-about-yellow-faced-grassquit-trafficker/
By Anastasia Pirrami The nonprofit group Perch America has been stocking thousands of walleye into Wolf Lake for 24 of the last 25 years, creating a rich fishery for the small community of Hammond, Indiana. Anglers concerned about commercial fisheries over harvesting fish in the southern part of Lake Michigan, including Wolf Lake, formed the […]
The post Indiana group stocks walleye for 24 years first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/01/17/indiana-group-stocks-walleye-for-24-years/
My survey was admittedly small.
I polled one 10-year-old and 30 adults ranging in age from their early 20s to mid-50s. I had a fairly even representation of genders and races. About half were on a college campus, the other half I approached on a public boardwalk.
I limited my poll to one person per social cluster to prevent parroting of the same responses.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/01/i-speak-for-the-fish-and-the-survey-says/
Since seeking refuge on land leads to higher concentrations of birds on coastlines, the next impacted factor is birds' health.
The post Study finds Great Lakes influence bird migration patterns first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/01/11/study-finds-great-lakes-influence-bird-migration-patterns/
A new book details the biology, management and importance of walleye, an iconic Great Lakes fish.
The post New book explores the beauty of a common Great Lakes fish first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/12/16/new-book-explores-the-beauty-of-a-common-great-lakes-fish/
Great Lakes Now tries to make every episode interesting and educational.
In this episode, Michigan DNR researchers document the northern madtom – a tiny, endangered catfish that’s venomous. Then take a cinematic journey through Earth’s largest freshwater ecosystem – the Great Lakes watershed – with a preview of a new documentary series.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/12/great-lakes-wildlife-the-great-lakes-now-episode-quiz/
By John Flesher, AP Environmental Writer
DETROIT (AP) — In a bustling metro area of 4.3 million people, Yale University wildlife biologist Nyeema Harris ventures into isolated thickets to study Detroit’s most elusive residents — coyotes, foxes, raccoons and skunks among them.
Harris and colleagues have placed trail cameras in woodsy sections of 25 city parks for the past five years.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/12/ap-extinctions-shrinking-habitat-spur-rewilding-in-cities/
In the course of 11 days, a device dating back to 234 B.C. successfully transported 704 fish across the Cheboygan Dam in the northern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula with no injuries observed.
The post Device from 234 B.C. lifts fish over barriers while blocking invaders, study finds first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/11/23/device-from-234-b-c-lifts-fish-over-barriers-while-blocking-invaders-study-finds/
Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television.
Today, many educators are experimenting with unique forms of instruction to increase student engagement in the classroom and encourage critical thinking.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/11/great-lakes-moment-video-game-teaches-watershed-management/
During the fall migration season, over 4 billion birds in North America pass over our heads while we are sound asleep. Scientists use a number of technologies to understand more about birds' migratory patterns.
The post In today’s forecast: 4 billion birds migrate across North America first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/11/07/in-todays-forecast-4-billion-birds-migrate-across-north-america/
A new campaign is pushing for commercial fisheries to use whitefish for more than just filets. The fish could be used for makeup, wallets and supplements.
The post Whitefish campaign seeks to lift fisheries while fish stocks drop first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/11/03/whitefish-campaign-seeks-to-lift-fisheries-while-fish-stocks-drop/
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee have discovered that plastic pollution makes yellow perch less nutritious.
The post Plastic pollution robs fish of nutrients first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/31/plastic-pollution-robs-fish-of-nutrients/
A University of Windsor doctoral student studying conservation has a knack for science communication - and is using it to bring attention and support to at-risk species.
The post Minnow researcher uses You Tube, children’s literature to connect people with at-risk species first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/21/minnow-researcher-uses-you-tube-childrens-literature-to-connect-people-with-at-risk-species/
A federal grand jury has accused a man of smuggling three Burmese pythons from Canada into the United States. The man faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine if convicted.
The post Smuggler who snuggled up with pythons faces federal charge first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/20/smuggler-who-snuggled-up-with-pythons-faces-federal-charge/
Lake Superior State University is surveying river habitats to learn how to rescue native mussels threatened by hydropower dams. The project is funded by WE Energies which put money into a mitigation fund as part of a settlement agreement.
The post University researchers rescue mussels from dams first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/19/university-researchers-rescue-mussels-from-dams/
It’s October, and the stink bugs are moving into my house for the winter. So many things stink in a deliberate attempt to be repulsive. Other things stink to be attractive, but because they’re not trying to attract us, we may not like their aromas.
The post October: The smells of autumn first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/07/october-the-smells-of-autumn/
It's a dish fit for a queen, and now a king.
The post Michigan’s connection to Queen Elizabeth II: Lamprey pie first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/09/12/michigans-connection-to-queen-elizabeth-ii-lamprey-pie/
Ever visited a U.S. national marine sanctuary and look forward to another trip? If so, you can have inspiration through a new set of postage stamps.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary System, the U.S. Postal Service is releasing 16 new postage stamps showing scenes from sanctuaries around the world.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/08/stamps-celebrate-noaa-landscapes-marine-life/
For the past 10 years or so, entomologists have been looking for a way to control the population of spotted wing drosophila, a fruit fly that feeds on healthy cherries and blueberries. They say they may have found their answer in releasing the samba wasp, which kills fruit flies by laying its eggs inside them.
The post Tiny wasp could give hope to Northern Michigan cherry growers first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/08/17/tiny-wasp-could-give-hope-to-northern-michigan-cherry-growers/
In July, the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the monarch butterfly as endangered for the first time in history. Potter Park Zoo in Lansing, Michigan, first installed a pollinator garden in 2018. With the recent news of the monarch’s decline, the zoo is encouraging people to build wildlife habitats of their own.
The post Potter Park Zoo encourages people to help save monarch butterfly population first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/08/09/potter-park-zoo-encourages-people-to-help-save-monarch-butterfly-population/
An Ohio man who admitted fatally shooting a bald eagle will be banned from hunting for five years and has agreed to pay $20,000 as part of his sentence. Half the money will go to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, a nonprofit funder of conservation projects, as restitution. The other $10,000 is a fine.
The post Ohio man pleads guilty to illegally shooting bald eagle first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/08/01/ohio-man-pleads-guilty-to-illegally-shooting-bald-eagle/
Michigan’s only venomous snake, the eastern massasauga rattlesnake, has been suspected or proven responsible for at least 75 bites reported in the state from 2003 through 2020, according to the most comprehensive tally ever of such incidents.
The post Largest tally of snakebites in Michigan first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/27/largest-tally-of-snakebites-in-michigan/
Since the early 2000s fewer young whitefish have been making it to adulthood. Understanding the decline of lake whitefish recruitment is important for fishery managers and regulators as they approach the deadline to update a 2000 consent decree that regulates recreational and commercial fishing in Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.
The post Water test: One fish, two fish – where are all the whitefish? first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/23/water-test-one-fish-two-fish-wheres-all-the-whitefish/
The food web in lakes Michigan and Huron has changed in ways that jeopardize age-old fishing traditions and raise questions about how we’ve managed them. Now negotiators are updating a legal settlement that spells out where and how much lake whitefish and lake trout can be harvested.
The post Water test: Rending the Great Lakes food web first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/20/water-test-rending-the-great-lakes-food-web/
In our newest TikTok, Echo reporter Genevieve Fox talks about this year's bird flu outbreak and gives a tutorial on how to clean your birdfeeder.
The post Clean your birdfeeder right now: TikTok edition first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/17/clean-your-birdfeeder-right-now-tiktok-edition/
